Source: Team_Talk
Chopra: I hope they go easy on me
Chopra was born in the city and attended the same school as Magpies legend Alan Shearer before becoming a product of the club's youth system, signing professional terms in 2000.[LNB]Seven years later, and via his first spell with Cardiff, the now 26-year-old signed for bitter north-east rivals Sunderland and subsequently earned the wrath of his hometown faithful when he came on as a 55th-minute substitute at St James' last February.[LNB]Now back in South Wales, Chopra told Cardiff's official website: "The reception I got at Newcastle last season was bad. It was a local derby and I was playing for Sunderland. I knew when I went to Sunderland that I'd get a reception like that at Newcastle. Hopefully Friday won't be as bad but I'll still get stick.[LNB]"I watch Newcastle a lot. When the manager gives me time off and I go home, I'll watch them play. Obviously I take an interest in the club because it's where I was brought up and another thing is that it's a football game and I enjoy watching games. My mates are all Newcastle fans.[LNB]"But if I'm one-on-one with the keeper on Friday, I'll be sticking it in the back of the net."[LNB]Cardiff go into the game in fourth spot and eight points adrift of West Brom in second, but Chopra is confident they can get a result on Friday.[LNB]He said: "Newcastle have got a good chance of winning the league - they brought in six players during the transfer window, so they're really going for it.[LNB]"But the way we're playing at the moment, this is the best opportunity we'll have to be the first team to beat them at home."[LNB]Although Chopra has respect for his former club, he does not think they are dominant in the league and can be beaten.[LNB]He added: "I saw Newcastle play Leicester on television on Saturday and they didn't seem as good a team as they used to be. We're playing some good stuff at the moment, so hopefully we can go up there and put up a fight.[LNB]"Our team is full of goalscorers. We know if we don't concede goals, we'll get chances to score them. It's down to the midfield and the forwards to score goals. If the defence are doing their job, then it's our job to score goals, and that's what's been happening recently.[LNB]"For some reason, we manage to play better against top teams and take points off them. We went to West Brom and won comfortably and we did the same at Middlesbrough so the lads are full of confidence, we're in good form and looking forward to Newcastle."[LNB][LNB][LNB]
